Cavall's Heart
by Atlantis Forester
Summary: Lady knights seem to catch all the best men, but choose the least expected one--and Keladry is no exception. (An odd pairing: Kel/Wyldon. Open-minded people will like it. Strangely enough, I was able to keep the characters just like the ones in the book.)
1. Prologue

Cavall's Heart

  
By Atlantis Forester 

  
  
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, belongs to Tamora Pierce, the woman who lives in the same district as my school, blah, blah. You know what I'm talking about. 

Summary: Lady knights seem to catch all the best men. Keladry is not stunningly gorgeous, nor heartbreakingly witty, but she will always get the gold platter. (An odd pairing: Kel/Wyldon. Open-minded people will like it. Strangely enough, I was able to keep the characters just like the ones in the book.) 

  
  
  
Prologue 

  
  
Wyldon of Cavall examined the blank-faced woman sitting before him, rubbing his clean-shaven chin. 

She had short-cropped light brown hair that had grown to her shoulders pulled back into a short tail, a dreamer's hazel eyes under long, curling lashes, a delicate and yet unbroken nose and a full mouth. Her bangs swept over her eyes, giving her an even more passive look. The tall young woman wore a slightly worn green tunic over an undyed cotton shirt, fresh tan breeches and polished boots. Firm muscles rippled from under the thin summer cloth, and her posture was straight, her hands resting flat on her thighs. Determination shone in her every movement. 

"Mindelan, I will be assigning you another post." Wyldon's handsome face and bald plate was lit by the bright globes mages had spelled to cast light. He waited, trying to see some reaction in his companion. 

Keladry of Mindelan did not stir. Her face remained carefully devoid of emotion. 

"New Hope is now starting to thrive on her own. The progress is remarkable, and I must again congratulate you on your excellent work, but you will be needed elsewhere. The war is now greatly favored to our side, thanks to the end of Blayce the Gallan, but there is still a war. Maggur is keeping a firm grip on his nobles, and is not willing to let go." 

Kel looked at him expectantly. 

"I know that you've been wanting an active participation in the war, and you will get it, now. I would like to send you to Fort Steadfast." 

Kel frowned, puzzled. "Steadfast, sir?" she asked. 

"It will only be for now, actually. What with Lord Raoul busy with his new marital situation, he wants someone capable to replace him for two months or so." 

Kel struggled to keep her emotions from showing. "Why me, sir?" 

Wyldon fingered the ring on his finger which pronounced him a married man. "He seemed to think that it was a good idea to choose you, as his men are familiar with you, and because it would be a good experience for you to have. Such a task-though it is only for a short while-would sharpen your military skills. You would be dealing with soldiers, not refugees. I do not think that I am mistaken when I say that you will have to find a way to deal with all sorts of people concerning your rather unique title." 

She nodded in acknowledgement. "I will do it." 

"Queenscove will not be coming with you, however. Neither will Merric of Hollyrose. They will stay to help at New Hope, and, later, will be assigned to my fort, Mastiff. Different healers will replace Sir Nealan." 

Kel was quiet for a moment. "After this assignment, where will I be put?" 

"It is most likely that you will be joining Queenscove back here in Mastiff." 

"Yes, sir." 

"Dismissed." 

  
  
  
  
  
A.N. TERRIBLE PROLOGUE. *groan* I seem to be very bad at writing prologues. EVERY SINGLE TIME, I mess up. Ah, well. Very short, as all prologues are. Oh, and REVIEW! 


	2. Steadfast

Cavall's Heart

  
By Atlantis Forester 

  
  
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, belongs to Tamora Pierce, the woman who lives in the same district as my school, blah, blah. You know what I'm talking about. 

Summary: Lady knights seem to catch all the best men. Keladry is not stunningly gorgeous, nor heartbreakingly witty, but she will always get the gold platter. (An odd pairing: Kel/Wyldon. Open-minded people will like it. Strangely enough, I was able to keep the characters just like the ones in the book.) 

  
  
  
Chapter One: Steadfast 

  
  
Kel wiped her sweaty palms on her breeches, her heart thumping erratically in her ribcage. She faced the grim-faced soldiers standing in neat rows before her. Murmurs among the fighters drifted to her ears and Kel recognized the familiar, calculating looks sizing her up. Glancing behind her, she saw Raoul, Buri, Dom and Faleron nodding at her, all encouragement. 

To win the hearts of battle-worn men of many more years than her would be far more difficult than to win over weary refugees. Kel steeled herself, and cleared her throat. She was standing on a low wooden platform right outside the mess hall, the combatants lined, uniformed, and showing perfect discipline. Everything was clean and well taken care of. There were no wandering pigs, no mystified chickens, no running children, and no disorder. It was a perfect example of military organization. 

_Well, here goes,_ thought Kel glumly. _I'll have to get used to this, anyway._ She cleared her throat again, and everyone focused on her. "Occupants of Fort Steadfast!" Her voice rang clearly in the silence. "My name is Lady Keladry of Mindelan, and I will be your temporary commander." 

Though she continued talking, Kel only heard a droning buzz in her ears that drowned everything else out. She felt numb and blank. _Oh gods,_ she thought fervently, _please don't make this too hard for me._

  
  
  
"That went well," commented Raoul afterwards in her suite. 

Kel glared at her former knight-master while pulling off her boots. He smiled back indulgently. 

"Kel!" Dom and Faleron burst into her rooms. The two exceedingly handsome young men beamed at Kel, who promptly abandoned her boots beside her bed and rose up to greet them affectionately. 

"You rascal," muttered Kel--trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach--into Dom's shirt as he pulled her into a fierce hug, "what have you been up to, lately?" 

"Dirt, rain, and sweat," said Dom with a wide smile, his blue eyes sparkling ("No girls?"--"Well, there's always you!"--"Very funny, Dom."). "Ever since you returned with the news of Blayce the Gallan's death, there haven't been many occurrences. So, we soldiers were simply put to housework and harvesting. I consider this all your fault!" 

Kel let go with a smile to be seized by an enthusiastic Faleron. The lithe, darkly handsome knight embraced her cheeks. "It's so wonderful to see you, Kel!" he exclaimed. "I was so surprised when Raoul announced his impromptu vacation and you replacing him while he was gone!" 

Laughing, Kel squeezed her arms slung around Faleron's neck and parted from him. "I'm really glad to see you, but I have to change and prepare myself for dinner. I don't exactly want to eat a pleasant meal with squelching shoes and a muddy tunic. Aren't you supposed to be off defending the seacoast, though?" 

Faleron grinned disarmingly. "I was moved to Steadfast after the wedding; apparently, the sea wasn't agreeing with me." 

"Mm. Now, some privacy, if you please?" 

Resigned, the three men left her. Raoul exited the last. "Was it just me," he asked innocently, making his voice low enough so that only Kel could hear, "or did that seem like something a little more than friendly?" 

He swiftly ducked her mud-caked boot. "Alright! I'm going!" 

  
  
  
When a freshened Kel descended to the mess hall, she felt a multitude of eyes follow her movements. Ignoring the scrutiny, the young knight joined her friends. 

"No dress, today?" teased Faleron. 

Kel shrugged. "I haven't worn skirts in a while. The situation calls for other formalities." She turned to the silent crowd before her, and dutifully said the blessings for the food. When she was done, Kel tugged at the hem of her clean, maroon cotton tunic and took a seat. 

Lord Raoul drank deeply from his goblet. "Well," he said, matter-of-fact, "Buri and I are off tomorrow, at dawn." 

Almost automatically, Kel's friends' heads turned to her. She had her best Yamani Lump face on, and was eyeing her food with intense curiosity. There was a unanimous sigh of exasperation. 

Dom clapped a hand on the young knight's shoulder--who braced herself against the now familiar fluttering in her abdomen--and said, "Kel, you know we wouldn't think any less of you if you wouldn't want to do this." 

Buri sighed. "It'll be hard--there's no denying it," she said. "But in the end, Kel, we all trust you to win them over. There's less of that sentimentality here, but they've had time to mull over having fighting females commanding them because of Alanna and me. Personally, I think that it will be less hard for you than it was at Haven because--" 

"--you've made yourself a legend, too!" interrupted Dom with sparkling eyes. 

Raoul nodded. "That's right. Now that you've got your deeds at your back, people will actually listen. Killing Blayce was no small deed, and you'll definitely get credit for that. Also, these men have families, and you were in charge of a refugee camp... do you see the connection?" 

"So you see," Faleron said, "you've got more luck than you think." 

Kel thought of the things her friends had just told her. Finding no flaw in the remarks, she suddenly felt much better. "Thanks," she told them gratefully. "I really never considered that before." 

Raoul swallowed a chunk of meat. "Stop thinking about your disadvantages, Kel, and start thinking of your assets. You have more than you think. We only named some of them." 

Dom's eyes were mischievous. "For instance, you're also very charming." 

"And you have quite a pretty face," added Faleron with the same gleam in his eyes as Dom. 

Buri hit them both over the head with her fork. "Stop flirting, you two," she ordered. "You're going to make me lose my appetite." 

"Hey!" protested Dom. "That hurt! Besides, I wasn't flirting." 

Buri confiscated his fork as he attempted to steal Kel's last piece of meat. "I'll have none of that before my honeymoon!" 

"How am I supposed to eat, you withered old bat?!" Dom glared at her. 

"Withered old, bat, is it?" said Buri threateningly. She raised her fork. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" 

Kel buried her head in her arms and tried to muffle her peals of laughter. 

  
  
  
"This is rather remarkable," commented Faleron. He was leaning against one of Kel's bedposts. "Ever since you were put in command, Steadfast hasn't received one single attack." 

"Do you suppose that the Scanrans are afraid of Kel?" wondered Dom out loud. 

"Don't be an idiot," Kel said disapprovingly. "Even though I was at Haven, that didn't prevent Scanrans from coming there to attack us." 

"But this is different," reasoned Dom. "You're at the head of a strong military organisation, now. Steadfast isn't a refugee camp without enough soldiers." 

"Ah!" Faleron started. "I nearly forgot! Kel, a message arrived for you, from Mastiff. Lord Wyldon wants you to report to him, personally, in three days." 

Kel shuffled through a pile of papers. "In that case, I think it'll be a good opportunity to ask if I could offer some squads of soldiers to refugee camps." 

Dom leaned over her. "Are you still thinking of Haven, Kel?" 

Kel set her chin stubbornly. "No," she said. "I just think that there are places that need our soldiers more than Steadfast does." 

"Such as Haven," injected Faleron. 

Kel sighed. "We all _know_ what I'm talking about. There are absolutely no signs of any Scanran forces even remotely nearby. They seem to be concentrating exclusively on General Vanget's fort and Mastiff. They'll need soldiers, too." 

"At this rate, Steadfast will have _no_ fighters left besides us," joked Faleron. 

Kel rolled her eyes. "I'm not planning to deplete Steadfast entirely," she retorted. 

Dom sat down on her bed. "Kel, if we don't have enough soldiers, what will we do if we get attacked?" 

Faleron stretched. "I honestly doubt we'll get attacked, even if it were just us three in here," he said. 

"How would you know?" demanded Dom. 

"It's a feeling," answered the handsome knight. "A very strong hunch." 

"We can't exactly rely on a hunch, no matter how strong." 

"Maybe it's just me," replied Faleron. "But I still think that." 

"Enough," interrupted Kel. "I'm going to offer at least a few squads of soldiers for refugee camps. Let's get ready. You're both coming with me. I'll have to put someone else in command, because I need you two. We'll have to put things in order before we leave." 

"When do we leave, though?" 

"Tomorrow, at dawn, if we want to get there in time." 

  
  
  
A.N. This is only the beginning, alright? Ah... and I _know_ it's short, but please don't complain. I'm just so loaded with work..... 

In the next chapter, Kel is reporting to Mastiff..... 


End file.
